Questions for national candidates

1.Demilitarize Foreign: Policy Extremist groups such as ISIS have continued to emerge despite the money and attention our country lavishes on military responses to violence. Our country must invest in diplomacy, development, and support of local peacebuilding programs to prevent violent conflict. Would you make funding for these peacebuilding initiatives a priority if you are elected?
2.End Mass Incarceration: The number of people in U.S. prisons has skyrocketed in recent decades, primarily due to the long mandatory minimum sentences handed down to nonviolent drug offenders. These sentences are expensive for taxpayers and hurt communities. Do you support legislation to reform sentencing laws and reduce mandatory minimum sentences?
3.Address Climate Change: Climate change looms as one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. It is a threat that undermines peace and stability in our country and throughout the world. Will you work meaningfully to advance bipartisan solutions to climate change?
4.Reform Immigration: Our immigration system is broken. Rather than making repairs, our government is focused on punishment: setting quotas to keep immigrants in detention, building higher walls, and raiding homes. Do you support comprehensive reform to fix our immigration system that would treat immigrants and U.S. citizens touched by this system with respect and dignity? What immigration reforms do you support? Would you provide a path to citizenship for undocumented workers?
5.Curb Money in Politics: Money speaks loudly in our political system. Its influence has weakened our democracy, leading ordinary people to doubt their power and giving wealthy individuals and corporations outsized access to decision makers. What will you do to restore trust in our political system?
6.End Endless War: Since 2001, Congress has given the president nearly unchecked power to engage in military action all over the world. U.S. use of lethal drones, expanded military action, and indefinite detentions at Guantanamo are recruiting tools for violent extremists. Will you support repealing the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force, the basis for the president's authority?
7.Advance a World without Nuclear Weapons: President Obama wants to spend nearly $1 trillion dollars over the next 30 years to “modernize” and maintain our nuclear arsenal, and to develop and buy 1,000 nuclear-capable cruise missiles. Do you support former Defense Secretary William Perry’s call to cancel the plans for the new nuclear cruise missile as a step toward a world without nuclear weapons?
8.Address Poverty & Income Inequality: The U.S. is a wealthy nation. Yet 1.5 million households — including 3 million children — live on less than $2 a day per person. Do you support investing in federal programs, such as the the Earned Income Tax Credit, food stamps, and housing assistance, which successfully help families support their children and move into the middle class?
9.Support Middle East Diplomacy: This year, because of U.S.-led diplomacy, Iran no longer has enough fuel to build a nuclear bomb. Yet the kind of sustained diplomacy that led to this agreement does not always have political support in this country. Will you support continued U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran, as well as with Syria, to peacefully resolve long-standing conflicts in the Middle East?
10.Do you support overturning Citizens United?
11.How can race and gender inequities in our labor market be overcome?
12.How can we provide better enforcement of labor standards in our country?
13.Are you in favor of public programs to create jobs by investing in our infrastructure?
14.What is your opinion of the NAFTA and TPP trade agreements?
15.How would you address the excessive wealth inequality in our country?
16.Would you support implementing a public service employment program to target jobs to high unemployment communities?
17.Do you support implementing a financial transaction tax?
18.What measures would you take to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality child care and early childhood education to support balancing work and family and improved education outcomes?
19.How can we strengthen retirement plans, Social Security and Medicare for our senior citizens?
20.What actions would you take to help prevent gun violence?
21.Do you support the provision of earned sick leave and paid family leave for all workers?
22.Do you support public financing of elections?
23.How would you make college affordable for everyone who wants to attend?
24.What is your position on right-to-work laws?
25.Do you believe that gun violence is a public health issue?

Quote to ponder

"The most important piece of luggage is and remains a joyful heart." -Hermann Lons

Background Photo

The background image for this website shows the White Oak Creek Section of Jordan Lake, about 12 miles west of Raleigh NC. We include this photo on our website as a reminder that care of God's creation is central to our stewardship responsibilities as a church.